Osoba’s SDP picks gov candidate to tackle Amosun

ABEOKUTA—The Social Democratic Party, SDP, the party to which ex-governor Segun Osoba and his supporters now belong may have chosen a kinsman of the incumbent governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun as it’s governorship candidate ahead of the 2015 election.
The indication emerged following the claim by the Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial district, Gbenga Obadara that his new party, SDP, has adopted him as the governorship candidate for the coming election.
Obadara, also Egba from Odeda was elected senator in 2011 on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, which has now transformed to All Progressives Congress, APC.
He spoke toVanguardexclusively that, though, he was yet to formalise the defection, he had ‘moved’ to the SDP.
According to him; “I am an Egba man, I am using Egba slot. If my party says I should do one term, I will abide by the position.
“Don’t forget that my mother is from Yewa, Iyesi in Ado-Odo/Ota. I am half Yewa, half Egba man and I am married to an Ijebu woman. I belong to Bobagunte of Akile Ijebu. I have the reflection of all the divisions of Ogun State,” he said .
Meanwhile, there are strong indications that the deputy governor, Prince Segun Adesegun may be impeached as soon as he declares for the SDP.
Vanguardgathered that though it would be difficult for the State House of Assembly to impeach him because the House which is made of 26-member split equally into two factions -13 loyal to the governor and the other 13 making up the opposition loyal to Osoba.
When asked whether the deputy would be impeached or not once he declares for the SDP, a member of the House and leader of the opposition, Remmy Hassan, said his team will be waiting for such attempt to impeach the deputy governor.
He said; “It will be practically difficult to impeach the deputy governor, because there is no constitutional breach. Except the constitution is amended. However, everybody is awake even while asleep.
“We have 13 members each on both sides. But the other 13 loyal to the governor is at disadvantage, because the principal officer, the Speaker, is on their side and he could not vote but only preside.
“Moreover, it would amount to a shadow chasing to seek for an impeachment in the House you don’t have control over.”
Efforts made to speak with the speaker State House of Assembly, Suraj Adekunbi was unsuccessful as his telephone was unreachable.
Meantime, the national leadership of the APC was yesterday said to be making fresh moves to bridge the gulf between Amosun and ex-governor Osoba.
According to usually reliable sources, the ruling party’s calculation is that split vote between the APC and SDP may return the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to power in 2015.